Ridge Vineyards

Last updated
Ridge Vineyards
Ridge-Vineyards-Logo-small.jpg
Location Cupertino, California, United States
Coordinates 37°18′18″N122°07′46″W / 37.3050°N 122.1294°W / 37.3050; -122.1294
Appellation Santa Cruz Mountains
First  vintage 1962 [1]
Key people David R. Bennion (Founder)
Paul Draper (Chairman of the Board)
Mark Vernon (CEO)
David Amadia (President)
John Olney (COO & Head Winemaker)
Michael Torino (VP of Wholesale Sales)
Ryan Moore (VP of Consumer Sales)
Parent company Otsuka Pharmaceutical
Known forMonte Bello Cabernet Sauvignon
Varietals Cabernet Sauvignon , Chardonnay , Petite Sirah , Syrah , Zinfandel , Merlot , Grenache , Syrah , Carignane
DistributionInternational
Tasting Open to public on weekends
Website www.ridgewine.com

Ridge Vineyards is a California winery specializing in Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, and Chardonnay wines. Ridge produces wine at two winery locations in northern California. The original winery facilities are located at an elevation of 2,300 feet (700 metres) on Monte Bello Ridge in unincorporated Santa Clara County in the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA, south of Los Altos, California and west of Cupertino, California. The other Ridge winery facilities are at Lytton Springs in the Dry Creek Valley AVA of Sonoma County. [1] Ridge Vineyard's 1971 Monte Bello Cabernet Sauvignon gained prominence for its fifth-place finish in the 1976 "Judgment of Paris" wine tasting.

Contents

History

Ridge Vineyards, Monte Bello Ridge Vineyards, Monte Bello.jpg
Ridge Vineyards, Monte Bello

Although Ridge Vineyards was founded in the early 1960s, wine production at the winery's Monte Bello location has a much longer history. Grapevines were first planted on Monte Bello Ridge by Osea Perrone, a doctor and prominent member of the northern California Italian immigrant community, in 1885. The first Monte Bello wine was produced in 1892. [1] Following Prohibition, the vineyard at Monte Bello passed through the hands of several amateur winemakers until it was purchased in 1959 by David Bennion, Charles Rosen, Hewitt Crane, and Howard Zeidler, all engineers at nearby Stanford Research Institute. Ridge Vineyards was bonded and produced its first commercial wine, a Monte Bello Cabernet Sauvignon, in 1962. [1]

According to a 1987 New York Times article, Ridge Vineyards was acquired by a Japanese company. "The new owner is Otsuka U.S., a subsidiary of the Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co Ltd, a producer of nutritional drinks and other pharmaceutical products. Otsuka operates an experimental wine-making center near Fuji, in Japan."

View from Ridge Vineyards on Monte Bello Ridge, Santa Cruz Mountains View from Ridge Winery - Santa Cruz Mountain AVA.jpg
View from Ridge Vineyards on Monte Bello Ridge, Santa Cruz Mountains
Ridge-Lytton Springs Vineyard LyttonSpringsWinery DSC38592 S.jpg
Ridge–Lytton Springs Vineyard

The international reputation of the Monte Bello wine produced by Ridge Vineyards was established when it achieved fifth place in the "Judgment of Paris", against nine other French and California wines. Monte Bello Cabernet Sauvignon was acclaimed in subsequent competitions, including The Judgment of Paris 30th Anniversary, the 30th anniversary retesting of the same red wines evaluated in the 1976 Paris wine competition. In this blind tasting, held both in the United States and in the United Kingdom, judges in both countries ranked Ridge Monte Bello number one among all the wines judged. [2]

Ridge Vineyards produced its first Zinfandel in 1964. Beginning in 1966, the winery began sourcing some grapes for its Geyserville Zinfandel and other wines from vineyards in Sonoma County. In 1991, Ridge Vineyards purchased the Lytton Springs vineyard in the Dry Creek Valley AVA. [1] The winery produces wine at both the Monte Bello and Lytton Springs locations, and operates tasting rooms open to the public at both.

Winemakers

Back label of 1990 Monte Bello Back label of Ridge Monte Bello Cabernet Sauvignon 1990.jpg
Back label of 1990 Monte Bello

David Bennion

In 1959, David Bennion purchased the 80 acre winery and vineyard above Cupertino in the Santa Cruz Mountains. That same year, he produced his very first wine, a Cabernet Sauvignon from the estate. Excited by the quality of the early wines, the partners decided to re-bond the winery in time for the 1962 vintage, calling their endeavor Ridge Vineyards.

By focusing on single-vineyard Zinfandels—Sonoma, Santa Cruz, Lodi, and Paso Robles—Bennion showed that Zinfandel can express terroir. He would go on to make single-vineyard wines from many other varieties including: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Ruby Cabernet, Carignan, and Pinot Blanc.

His winemaking style championed minimal intervention. A major component of this philosophy was to make use of the natural yeasts on the grapes. To this end, only a small amount of Sulfur would be used during the winemaking process. This process would only kill off the wild yeasts but allow the wine yeasts to survive on the grapes.

In 1967 Dave Bennion left SRI completely, to become the first president and winemaker of Ridge. Bennion served as winemaker at Ridge until 1970, when he hired Paul Draper to oversee winemaking operations. After hiring Draper, Bennion continued to serve as the President of Ridge until 1984.

Paul Draper

Ridge had been under the direction of winemaker Paul Draper since 1971. He was hired by David Bennion and emphasized natural, ecologically sustainable farming and fermentation. [3] [4] Draper is known for drying his own oak staves for use in barrels, which may be a component of the dusty "Draper Perfume" that is characteristic of Ridge wines. on 1 July 2016, Draper retired as CEO and Head Winemaker of the company, but remains chairman of the board. [5] [6] He produced 47 vintages for Ridge. [7]

Wines

A bottle of 1971 Monte Bello Cabernet Sauvignon that was entered into the 1976 Judgement of Paris wine tasting. Judgement of Paris Ridge 1971 Cabernet Sauvignon.jpg
A bottle of 1971 Monte Bello Cabernet Sauvignon that was entered into the 1976 Judgement of Paris wine tasting.

Ridge also focuses on single-estate wines where the grapes for a particular label are all grown at the same vineyard. The signature wine of Ridge is its Monte Bello, a field blend of Cabernet Sauvignon mixed with varying percentages of other grapes grown in the same location, usually including Merlot, Petit Verdot, and occasionally Cabernet Franc. [8]

Ridge's Zinfandels (or mostly-Zinfandel field blends) constitute the bulk of the winery's production. Using grapes from selected sites from all over the state and bottling them each under their own label, Ridge Zinfandels emphasize the particular characteristics of each growing site and may show different aging characteristics than do other Zinfandels. Among the best known of the Ridge Zinfandels or Zinfandel-blends are those from Geyserville, York Creek, and Lytton Springs.[ citation needed ]

Recognition

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stag's Leap Wine Cellars</span> Winery in Napa Valley, California

Stag's Leap Wine Cellars is a winery founded by Warren Winiarski in 1970 and based in the Stags Leap District of Napa Valley, California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heitz Wine Cellars</span> Winery in California

Heitz Cellar is a California wine producer located within Napa Valley east of the town of St. Helena. An early modern era Napa Valley presence and pioneering exponent of French oak, the estate enjoys a historical renown with the success of its Martha's Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, and has also been described as a "master of Grignolino".

The state of Oregon in the United States has established an international reputation for its production of wine, ranking fourth in the country behind California, Washington, and New York. Oregon has several different growing regions within the state's borders that are well-suited to the cultivation of grapes; additional regions straddle the border between Oregon and the states of Washington and Idaho. Wine making dates back to pioneer times in the 1840s, with commercial production beginning in the 1960s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paul Draper (winemaker)</span> American winemaker

Paul Draper is a California winemaker who has been the chief winemaker at Ridge Vineyards in California since 1969. Without any formal training in winemaking, Draper first gained recognition for his 1971 Monte Bello Cabernet Sauvignon when it placed fifth at the Judgment of Paris wine tasting. Draper has played a significant role in the history of California wine through his pioneering work in popularizing "vineyard-designated" wines as well as instigating the resurgence of old vine Zinfandel. Along with Ravenswood Winery's Joel Peterson, Draper is considered one of the most important figures in the history of Californian Zinfandel, rescuing the grape from obscurity and demonstrating its full potential as a serious wine. Draper was featured in a short film titled Terroir and directed by Christopher McGilvray which was shown at the 2017 Cinequest Film Festival.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">B.R. Cohn Winery</span>

B.R. Cohn Winery is a winery in Sonoma Valley, California in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David R. Bennion</span> American winemaker

David Ralph Bennion (1929–1988) was a leading California winemaker who was the founder and winemaker at Ridge Vineyards in California from 1959 to 1969. From an early period, Bennion labeled Ridge Vineyards wines by vineyard, district and appellation, a first for California Zinfandel and a practice later followed by nearly every winery in the state. Ridge's flagship wine, Monte Bello is considered one of the great wines of the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Russian River Valley AVA</span> American Viticultural Area in California

The Russian River Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) in Sonoma County, California. Centered on the Russian River, the Russian River Valley AVA accounts for about one-sixth of the total planted vineyard acreage in Sonoma County. The appellation was granted AVA status in 1983 and enlarged in 2005. The area generally lies between Sebastopol and Santa Rosa in the south, and Forestville and Healdsburg in the north. The Russian River Valley has a characteristically cool climate, heavily affected by fog generated by the valley's proximity to the Pacific Ocean. The area is known for its success with cool climate varietals, notably Pinot noir and Chardonnay.

Dawnine Sample Dyer is an American winemaker and entrepreneur who pioneered the use of champagne-making methods in California's fledgling sparkling wine industry in the 1970s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">California wine</span> Wine made from grapes grown in California, United States

California wine production has a rich viticulture history since 1680 when Spanish Jesuit missionaries planted Vitis vinifera vines native to the Mediterranean region in their established missions to produce wine for religious services. In the 1770s, Spanish missionaries continued the practice under the direction of the Father Junípero Serra who planted California's first vineyard at Mission San Juan Capistrano.

Quilceda Creek Winery

Quilceda Creek Winery is a boutique winery in Snohomish, Washington specializing in premium Cabernet Sauvignon wine. The winery is named for a nearby creek in Snohomish County. Although the winery facility is located west of the Cascade Range, the winery sources all of its grapes from its four estate vineyards in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA and Red Mountain AVA. Quilceda Creek Winery has earned some of the highest reviews and awards of any winery in the United States and was the first American wine from outside of California to earn a perfect 100-point score from wine critic Robert Parker's publication The Wine Advocate. Since its founding in 1978, Quilceda Creek has received an additional seven 100-point scores from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, one 100-point score from Decanter (Magazine) and two 100-point scores from acclaimed wine blog OwenBargreen.com. In addition to critics' praise, one of the highest honors for Quilceda Creek happened when President Barack Obama chose to serve their 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley at a White House dinner to President Hu Jintao of China in 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adelaida Cellars</span>

Adelaida Vineyards & Winery is a family-owned and operated winery that was named after a 19th-century settlement in the mountains of west Paso Robles, California. Situated at 2,000 feet (610 m) of elevation and 14 miles (23 km) from the Pacific Ocean, the terrain of the Adelaida, California district is marked by ancient calcareous soils, diurnal temperature variations of nearly 50 °F (10 °C), and warm, dry growing seasons. Adelaida Vineyards & Winery produces Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot noir, Syrah, Rhône blends, Zinfandel and other wines from the Paso Robles AVA.

Giaconda is an Australian winery in Beechworth, Victoria.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brown Estate</span>

Brown Estate Vineyards is a winery in the St. Helena area of Napa Valley, California, United States. Brown Estate produces multiple varieties of wine including Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, and Petite Sirah. Brown Estate Vineyards was founded in 1995 by siblings Deneen, David and Coral Brown. The Vineyard produced its first Napa Valley Zinfandel in 1996 after the family had been farming grapes and selling them to established winemakers. Brown Estate Vineyard is the first and only Black-owned Estate Winery in Napa Valley.

Araujo Estate Wines is a California winegrowing estate founded by Bart and Daphne Araujo. Located in Calistoga, California within both the Calistoga and Napa Valley AVAs, the estate produces a small portfolio of limited-production wines from the organically and Biodynamically farmed Eisele Vineyard.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cecil O. De Loach Jr.</span> American grape-grower and winemaker

Cecil O. De Loach Jr. is a California grape-grower and winemaker in the Russian River Valley AVA who has contributed to the reputation and notoriety of Sonoma County viticulture.

Ahlgren Vineyard was a vineyard and winery located in the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA, in Boulder Creek, California, United States. Founded in 1976 by Dexter and Valerie Ahlgren, they produced 2,500-3,000 cases a year until their closure in 2016. The winery was located in the cellar of the Ahlgren's home. Ahlgren Vineyard used hands on, traditional methods of winemaking to create wine varietals including Sémillon, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Zinfandel, Nebbiolo, Pinot noir, and Syrah. Their grapes came from the Santa Cruz Mountains, Livermoore Valley, and Monterey. In 2000 Dexter Ahlgren suffered from a stroke, and the couples daughter, Beth Ahlgren, took over as winemaker. Dexter recovered enough to allow him to take part in the winemaking process.

Caymus Vineyards is a Napa winery owned by Chuck Wagner and his family. It was named for George Yount's Rancho Caymus land grant, which in turn was named for the villages of Kaimus, the Wappo settlements previously existing in the region.

Phyllis Zouzounis is an American female winemaker based in Windsor, California, known for Zinfandel wine.

The Zinfandel Advocates and Producers(ZAP) is a consortium of over 200 winemakers and grape growers, as well as thousands of consumers, with the purpose of advocating, preserving, and educating about the Zinfandel grape. Started in 1991, the organizational structure of combining wine enthusiasts with wine producers served as a successful template for other wine-related organizations, such as the Rhone Rangers. ZAP is reported to be one of the largest consumer-based wine advocacy groups in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kenwood Vineyards</span> Winery in Kenwood, California

Kenwood Vineyards is a winery in Kenwood, California, located on Highway 12 in the Sonoma Valley wine country. It is currently owned by Pernod Ricard Winemakers.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "History - Ridge Vineyards". Ridge Vineyards. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
  2. Steinberger, Mike (24 May 2006). "The Judgment of Paris". Slate. Retrieved 5 November 2016.
  3. Bonné, Jon (December 8, 2006). "Winemaker of the Year: Paul Draper". The San Francisco Chronicle.
  4. "Paul Draper of Ridge Vineyards to Retire". Ridge Vineyards. Retrieved 5 November 2016.
  5. Asimov, Eric (2016-06-28). "Paul Draper of Ridge Vineyards to Retire". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2016-10-25.
  6. "'It's been great': Paul Draper retires at Ridge - Decanter". Decanter. 2016-07-13. Retrieved 2016-10-25.
  7. "The Outsider | Columns | News & Features | Wine Spectator". WineSpectator.com. Retrieved 2016-12-17.
  8. "Decanter Names Ridge One of the Best Producers in the 2013 California Vintage". Ridge Vineyards. Retrieved 5 November 2016.
  9. "California 2013 Vintage Guide - Decanter". Decanter. 2016-06-24. Retrieved 2017-01-19.
  10. Jess Novak (Jul 22, 2014). "101 Best Wineries in America for 2014". The Daily Meal . Retrieved 25 October 2016.
  11. "California 2013 Vintage Guide - Decanter". Decanter. 2016-06-24. Retrieved 2016-12-17.
  12. "101 Best Wineries in America 2016". The Daily Meal. Retrieved 31 January 2017.
  13. Asimov, Eric (2016-06-28). "Paul Draper of Ridge Vineyards to Retire". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2017-01-19.
  14. "The Outsider | Columns | News & Features | Wine Spectator". WineSpectator.com. Retrieved 2017-01-19.
  15. ""The Outsider" - Wine Spectator's James Laube on Paul Draper - Ridge Vineyards". Ridge Vineyards. Retrieved 2017-01-19.
  16. "East Bench Zinfandel Featured at Obama's Final State Dinner". Ridge Vineyards. Retrieved 2017-01-19.